A GREAT PARADE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 135, 10 June 1942, Page 6

A GREAT PARADE

UNITED NATIONS DAY

MEN & WAR MACHINES

Details of United Nations Day parade on Saturday now available for publication will give the people of Wellington a fuller appreciation of the scale on which it will be held. It will be far greater and more impressive, and at the same time more spectacular, than any previous parade or ceremony held in the Dominion. All services and arms will be represented, and the parade will be so large that it will require over two hours to pass the saluting base and any other point in the city, and even so the troops v and other forces will parade in close formation, and not in the normal marching and mechanised forces spacing, for in that normal order men and. machines would stretch over more than fifty miles. Overhead aircraft of modern types will fly in ceremonial formation during the morning. ' There will be eight bands in the city, some at fixed points, but the majority in "the parade itself. The parade route will be that usually 'followed, through the main streets, but commencing from Thorndon Quay, not from Waterloo Quay, as that will be the return route, with mechanised services still coming in to Wellington when the first sections of heavy stuff have completed the circuit of the city and are streaming out on- their return to their regular stations and posts. The Mayor has asked all to take their part in this first celebration, of what is to become a day for permanent observance and . celebration, the pledging of the peoples of the United Nations for the .democratic welfare of the world to come after the war. It is expected of every building owner and occupier along the parade route that he will fly'such bunting as he has available. OVER 20 MILES LONG. Details of the parade issued today show that the procession .will be over 20 miles long. It will be in two groups and it has been estimated that it will take over two hours to pass the saluting base, which will be in front of Parliament Buildings. The head of the parade will move off at 10.27 a.m. With so many taking part the parade, besides the spectacular side, will provide a test of organisation. Included ii\ the first, group will be the following units:—Band: of: the R.N.Z.A.F., Home Guard Band (Boys' Institute Band), detachment of Home Guard (500), Home Guard Band (Hutt Civil Band), detachment Home Guard (500) Band of Wellington Regiment, detachment R.N.Z.A.F. (200), W.A.A.F. Drum and Fife Band, detachment Women's Auxiliary Air Force (100). This group will extend over a distance of 850 yards. FULL BRIGADE GROUP. A full brigade group, with 800 vehicles and a squadron of 18 tanks, will comprise the second and main section of the parade, and will be 20 miles long. . Group I will assemble in Thorndon Quay, with the head of the column opposite the Tramways Office. The